Gita 04.35 – Knowledge takes us beyond illusion and reveals connection of everything with Krishna
yaj jñātvā na punar moham
evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi
drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi (BG 04.35)
Word-for-word
yat — which; jñātvā — knowing; na — never; punaḥ — again; moham — to illusion; evam — like this; yāsyasi — you shall go; pāṇḍava — O son of Pāṇḍu; yena — by which; bhūtāni — living entities; aśeṣāṇi — all; drakṣyasi — you will see; ātmani — in the Supreme Soul; atha u — or in other words; mayi — in Me.
Translation
Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.
Explanation
In this fourth chapter, Krishna is describing transcendental knowledge. He explains how a Karma Yogi, by acquiring knowledge through the practice of Karma Yoga, can attain liberation.
This section (4.34–4.42) emphasizes the importance of approaching a spiritual master to receive knowledge. In the previous verse (4.34), Krishna instructed Arjuna to learn from the guru through humility, inquiry, and service.
Now, in this verse (4.35), Krishna explains the result of gaining such knowledge.
Jñātvā — when one acquires knowledge from the spiritual master,
na punar mohām — one will no longer fall into illusion,
evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava — in this way, O Arjuna, you will be freed from delusion.
Further, Krishna states:
yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi — by this knowledge, you will see all living beings, without exception,
drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi — situated within within Me.
This is significant because it is the first verse in the Gita where Krishna explicitly describes the special relationship between Himself and all living beings.
Of course, in 4.6 Krishna has already mentioned:
ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san
—that although unborn and imperishable, He is still the Īśvara, the Lord of all living beings.
However, that reference is more generic in nature. For example, there can be a king who is the lord of all his citizens. Similarly, a police inspector may say, “All the people here are under my jurisdiction.” That statement conveys control and authority, but not necessarily the inner nature of the relationship.
So, the designation of Krishna as merely Īśvara (controller, master, or lord) captures only one dimension of the relationship between the Lord and the living entity.
But here, in 4.35, Krishna goes further. When He says ātmany atho mayi — “they are mine” — He is revealing a more intimate conception. Not only are the living beings under His control, but they are His own.
This understanding is developed further in the 15th chapter of the Gita, where Krishna states:
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (15.7)
“All living beings in this world are My eternal parts.”
So here in Chapter 4, Krishna is preparing Arjuna for that realization. By acquiring true knowledge, Arjuna will be able to see:
– drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi — all beings as souls, and as belonging to Krishna.
– ātmani — which can be understood in two ways: it refers to the soul itself, and it also points to the Supreme Lord as the ultimate Self.
Thus, this verse introduces the idea that the living entities are not only under the Lord’s authority but are eternally related to Him as His very own parts.
If ātmani refers to the soul, then Krishna is saying: “You will see all living beings as spiritual.” But He adds something deeper: atho mayi — “and in Me.”
This is a very significant phrase. The word mayi means belonging to Me. Thus, the purpose of spiritual knowledge is not merely to see the spiritual nature of all living beings, but to perceive the interconnectedness of existence in relation to Krishna. This interconnectedness does not mean an undifferentiated oneness, where everything merges into an absolute non-differentiated spiritual truth (as is often assumed in certain conceptions of Brahman). Instead, Krishna is pointing to a harmonious unity in diversity — the vision of seeing all living beings as parts of the Supreme Truth, as His energies.
This conception will be elaborated in Chapter 7 (verses 4–5), where Krishna explains that all energies, both material and spiritual, emanate from Him. But already here, in 4.35, He makes the point that the result of acquiring true knowledge is this vision:
– You will see all beings as souls (ātmani).
– You will see them as related to Me (atho mayi).
Now, Krishna has already mentioned in 2.12 (na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ…) that all individuals — Himself, Arjuna, and the kings — are eternal souls. That establishes their spiritual identity.
But in this verse (4.35), Krishna is adding a second dimension: to see the souls in their relationship with Him. This requires higher knowledge.
When we realize that all living beings belong to Krishna, we also recognize that He is their well-wisher. In fact, Krishna will later explicitly say in 5.29:
suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām — “I am the well-wisher of all living beings.”
Notice the parallel: in 4.35, Krishna says bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi (“all living beings without exception”), and in 5.29 He affirms sarva-bhūtānām (“of all beings”).
For Arjuna, this understanding has immediate relevance: Krishna’s instruction to fight is not born of malice, selfishness, or partiality. Because all beings belong to Him, whatever He ordains is for their highest good. Thus, even if it appears painful or harsh, His guidance is ultimately the best for everyone.
This vision — of seeing all living beings as souls, as belonging to Krishna, and Krishna as their supreme well-wisher — is the vision that frees one from illusion. This is why Krishna concludes here with na punar moham — never again will you be deluded.
In this verse, Krishna is describing a very advanced stage of spiritual realization. By receiving knowledge from a bona fide spiritual master, we can rise to a level of illumination that is far beyond illusion.
We all hear classes, read scripture, and acquire knowledge, but often this knowledge does not stay firmly rooted in our hearts. For instance, we may understand intellectually that sense gratification leads to misery, but when temptation arises, we still fall prey to it. This shows that intellectual knowledge alone is not enough.
What Krishna is speaking of here is not merely intellectual illumination, but transformational illumination — a state where one becomes so purified that illusion no longer has the power to drag the soul back. He makes similar statements elsewhere in the Gita, especially when describing how those who attain His abode “never return to this material world.” But here He applies the same principle not just to a place (the spiritual world) but to a state of consciousness — an elevation to a higher level of enlightenment where one no longer falls back into illusion.
Krishna indicates that this transformation happens through the mercy of the spiritual master:
– By serving the spiritual master, we gain knowledge.
– By the mercy of the spiritual master, we gain knowledge that purifies the heart.
And what is the nature of that knowledge? Krishna explains it in two parts:
1. “You will not fall into illusion” — unlike your present fragmented vision, where you think in terms of “I” and “mine” as the body, and “they” as their bodies, this purified knowledge will end that mistaken separation between the real self and the false self.
2. “You will see all living beings in Me and as Mine” — this is the positive vision of enlightenment. You will no longer simply act for your own separate interest, but for Krishna, and as Krishna acts — for the ultimate well-being of all living beings.
This is the heart of the verse. True knowledge is not only about realizing the soul’s existence, but about realizing its relationship with Krishna, and seeing all living beings as His. This vision naturally inspires compassion and selfless action, because one recognizes Krishna as the supreme well-wisher of all living beings.
Thus Krishna assures Arjuna that by receiving genuine knowledge, he will rise to this higher vision — no longer fragmented by illusion, but illuminated by truth — and in that illumination, he will act not out of delusion but out of harmony with the divine will, for the ultimate benefit of all.
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